Colonial League All-Stars defeat Schuylkill League

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN – In the 5th annual Schuylkill-Colonial All-Star Football Game, the Colonial League defeated the Schuylkill League 46-34 Saturday night at Rotary Field, home of Schuylkill Haven.

To start the game, the Colonial League offense drove about 20 yards up the field before being forced to punt the ball away. The Schuylkill League scored first as quarterback Max Heim of Schuylkill Haven ran three yards for a touchdown with 6:40 left. The field goal attempt by Jah Bushati of Marian Catholic was not good to keep the score at 6-0.

On the next possession for the Colonial League, Sean Steckert of Southern Lehigh ran for a three yard touchdown of his own to tie the game at six. The two point conversion failed as Mason Soos of Pen Argyl tried to pass to Terrell Estes, also of Pen Argyl, but the ball slipped out of his (Estes) hands to keep the game tied.

To open the second quarter, Heim was picked off by Blake Roberts of Lehighton, which set the Colonial League up for a 47 yard touchdown in the air to Alex Clark of Notre Dame Green Pond. Soos, the quarterback, tried to run for the two point conversion, but was tackled just short of the goal line. The Colonial League led 12-6 with around 11 minutes left in the half.

After a Schuylkill League miscue on a handoff between Heim and Niko Carestia of Schuylkill Haven, the Colonial League recovered the fumble. The Schuylkill League defense would create a turnover on downs. However, they would turn the ball over again on offense as Austin Greene of Lehighton had a 30 yard scoop and score for the Colonial League. Soos would connect with Estes for a good two point conversion to set the score at 20-6 in the Colonial League’s favor.

Less than 15 seconds later, the Schuylkill League responded with a 60-yard run into the end zone by Carestia and a Bushati extra point to cut the deficit to 20-13. Nineteen seconds after that, quarterback Jack Trickel of Palisades found Clark for another Colonial League score. Soos overthrew Caden Meek of Lehighton in the corner for the two point conversion to keep the score at 26-13.

Steckert threw an interception on a flea flicker pass to Evan Achenbach of Williams Valley to conclude the half and keep the score at 26-13 heading into the locker rooms.

In the third quarter, the Schuylkill League punted on their opening possession and the Colonial League did the same. After another Schuylkill League punt, the Colonial League tried to convert on fourth down on their own 48 with 2:22 left, but they did even better than that. Soos connected with Clark once again for a 52 yard touchdown in the air. The two point conversion pass attempt from Soos was broken up by Colt Mason of Nativity BVM to keep the score at 32-13.

On the next possession for the Schuylkill League, a big catch by Matt Dube of Minersville for 46 yards put them in the red zone. Three plays after that, Heim connected with Carestia to put the boys in red and white inside the five. However, they would not be able to score before the end of the quarter. The score still remained 32-13 in favor of the Colonial League heading into the fourth quarter.

On the same drive to open up the last quarter, Carestia ran 11 yards for a touchdown. Bushati made the extra point to make the score 32-20 with 11:55 left in the game.

Less than 30 seconds later, Meek caught a 55 yard touchdown to increase the Colonial League lead to 38-20. However, they would miss another two point conversion after a false start on their first attempt as Soos found Meek but he was out of bounds on his dive.

For the Schuylkill League offense, Reese Miller of Blue Mountain ran one yard for a touchdown, and Bushati converted the extra point attempt to make the score 38-27 with 8:14 left in the game.

After a Colonial League three and out, there was a false start penalty to back them up on fourth down to send the ball away. On third down for the Schuylkill League, Cooper Carl of Tri-Valley had the best catch of the night, ripping the ball out of the hands of Zach Metzgar from Pen Argyl with around five and a half minutes left.

Four plays later, Metzgar had a key pass breakup on a fourth down throw in the end zone to keep it a two possession game. That would benefit the Colonial League as they would get in the end zone later that drive with a 64 yard touchdown on the ground from Steckert. He (Steckert) then scored the two point conversion on the ground to put his team up 46-27 with 4:12 left in the contest.

Two minutes later, Carestia ran 30 yards for the Schuylkill League and Bushati made another extra point to make the score 46-34, which would be the last score of the game.

After the game, the award winners were announced. The Schuylkill League Lineman of the Game was Bushati while their MVP was Carestia. For the Colonial League, their Lineman of the Game was Chris Wellington of Catasauqua while their MVP was Clark.

The Colonial League head coach was Brady Mutton from Pen Argyl while the Schuylkill League’s head coach was Mike Farr from Schuylkill Haven. Nativity BVM’s Pat Mason served as the Assistant Head Coach for Farr.

Mutton said to his players before the game to have fun and he wanted them to make the most of the opportunity given to them. “It’s just about bonding with these kids you played against for four years and they figured it out pretty quickly,” Mutton added.